


a far, far better rest

by my_infinite_variety



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Canon Temporary Character Death, Heartbreak, Loss, M/M, Multi, OT3, POV James T. Kirk, Sad Ending, Spock Dies (Star Trek), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23662588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_infinite_variety/pseuds/my_infinite_variety
Summary: jim and bones watch as spock dies from behind the glass.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	a far, far better rest

**Author's Note:**

> the title is from charles dickens' book "a tale of two cities"

Spock is dying.

Spock is _dying_.

There is a hand clutching his sleeve, clever fingers digging into the fabric, and Jim doesn’t feel a thing. Because Spock is dying. He’s wasting away before their eyes, skin peeling from his face and hand pressing to the glass in a last-ditch effort to gain some comfort. There is no comfort without the touch of their skin.

Jim wants to comfort him. He wants to hold him between his and Bones’ bodies and tell him everything is going to be alright, press kisses to his radiation-burned skin. But it’s not alright, and the glass separating them feels like miles. Jim has already forgotten the texture of his lips and the touch of his hand. 

“The needs of the many outweigh...” Jim can hear him saying, his voice strained and his lungs gasping for air that is poisoned with the labor of his sacrifice. He’s justifying his death, justifying the grief that will hang over the Enterprise until Jim and Bones’ dying days. Because Spock will cease to exist and the hundreds of kids that walk the halls of the ship will live. Because Spock is more of a man than Jim will ever be.

“The needs of the few,” Jim hears himself choke out, like the words are ash on his tongue. Spock looks at him like he is his savior. Jim knows he is not. Bones is a weight against his side, shaking like the image in front of him is too much to bear. Maybe it is. Maybe the idea of losing Spock without a chance to save him is too much for the doctor in Bones. 

"Or the one." Spock looks peaceful, but Jim's face is wet with tears. He doesn’t remember the last time he cried, but he knows there will be many nights to come where he wakes himself sobbing. It is unavoidable. He doesn't know if there will be Bones in their bed to hold him. He doesn't know if Bones will deal with this loss with work or with bone-weary exhaustion. Jim doesn't know which is worse.

“I will always be yours,” Spock says, and his eyes are clouding as death approaches. He is being yanked from them. “My Jim. My Leonard.”

“Spock,” Bones whispers, reaches out his hand to touch the glass, and Spock is gone. His eyes, deep brown and filled infinitely with love, are dull. Spock doesn't stare back at them. 

Spock is dead.


End file.
